In the Mirror
by NeonDomino
Summary: Set during Prisoner of Azkaban. Remus comes across the Mirror of Erised. He knows what it will show him, but he can't bring himself to leave. WolfStar.


**This is set during Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban.**

**I own nothing.**

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><p>It was during patrols that Remus found the room he had almost forgotten. It had been many years since he had been at Hogwarts after all, and he tried to forget his time there. It brought back too many painful memories.<p>

The Room of Requirement.

The door appeared to him in the same manner it had years before and he wondered what it was that he actually asked for when he reached for the handle. What would the room have to offer him?

He pulled the door open but there was nothing there, just a dark and seemingly empty room. Remus walked inside, looking around carefully. The room wouldn't appear empty, it was the Room of Requirement after all. It would offer something. Comfort perhaps? That was something he needed often, though he wouldn't voice it out loud. There were very few people left that would offer him comfort.

"Lumos," Remus said, lighting the room. He noticed there were unlit lamps on the walls. With an Incendio to each lamp, setting them all ablaze, the room was brought to life and the light of the fire flickered on a mirror in the centre of the room, the only item in there.

Remus stared at the mirror for a moment. This was the only thing the room could offer him? His eyes moved across the mirror trying to understand. The mirror was large, gold framed and had clawed feet, but had never revealed itself to him before, he was sure of it. So why today?

As Remus approached the object, he realised it wasn't showing him his reflection and brought out his wand, checking for dark magic. Better to be on the safe side after all. Finding nothing, he moved closer to the magical object and he knew it was magical. He could sense it.

Amber eyes examined the words that appeared as he got closer. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi," Remus whispered, reading them out loud. What did it mean? It wasn't Latin. It was...

Erised. This was the Mirror of Erised and the words were backwards. He read it again. "I show not your face but your hearts desire."

He tried to take a step away, knowing that he didn't need to see his hearts desire. It already pained him enough to know what his heart truly wanted, but before he could move, the images began to appear.

Remus knew he was only causing himself more pain as his reflection stood there, smiling. At first he had thought he would see a Remus that wasn't suffering from Lycanthropy. He hoped that's all he would see.

But suddenly arms wrapped possessively around his image's waist, lips met his neck and a man gazed lovingly at him. A man who looked scarily like Orion Black, although this man had a cheeky smirk and playful eyes, was holding him tightly. His mirror image was returning the gaze, his hands resting on the hands wrapped around him. Remus could see the scars. It wasn't being free from his curse that he truly wanted beyond everything, it was the man who made him forget what he was. The only person to bring him true happiness.

What his heart desired most of all and above everything was Sirius Black.

No. He shouldn't see Sirius Black in that light. He shouldn't see Sirius staring at him with that much love in his gaze.

He watched their lips meet, and was rooted to the spot, remembering what had happened between them. Remembering their relationship. His fingers moved to his neck, touching the same spot his reflection was being kissed by Sirius.

His eyes darted to the other side of the mirror and he could see Lily and James approaching. The pair looked at Sirius and Remus with a sad smile, before they looked out at the real him.

James' lips were moving as they gazed sadly towards him. No. They weren't looking at him, they were part of his heart's desire. Having Sirius back, his friends still being alive... though there was no sign of Peter?.

He watched James' lips, wondering what James was saying.

"He's innocent," Remus said, after watching James lips for a couple of minutes. He was sure that was what James was saying. "Who is innocent?"

James' gaze moved to look at the pair of them in the reflection again.

"Sirius? How?" Remus asked.

"Peter," James mouthed. At the name, Lily's smile dropped and she clung to her husband's arm. Remus could see the tears in her eyes.

"But Peter's dead too," Remus said.

James shook his head.

"Peter's alive?" Remus asked.

The pair nodded.

"But Sirius..." Remus trailed off. "Are you saying that Sirius didn't kill Peter?"

James smiled widely, looking relieved that Remus had figured it out.

"So he didn't kill those muggles?" Remus added. "Did Sirius betray you and Lily?"

James and Lily shook their heads violently.

"Peter," they both mouthed over and over again.

Remus moved closer to the mirror. This was insane. The mirror only showed what people desired. Nothing more. It didn't hold ghosts. He just wanted Sirius to be innocent, that didn't make it true.

"But Sirius was your secret keeper," he found himself saying, not wanting to give up the illusion that his love was innocent. He wanted it to be true so badly. "Unless you changed it to Peter?"

They nodded urgently.

"Map," James mouthed.

Remus patted his cloak pocket where he had the map stored.

"Harry?" Lily asked.

"Harry is safe," Remus said. "He's learning magic, a bright student, you'd be so proud of him. He's got wonderful friends too. He's a great Wizard. He looks just like you, James, but he reminds me so much of you, Lily. The youngest Seeker, and he can cast a Corporal Patronus."

His eyes drifted back to himself and Sirius again. His reflection had turned and was holding Sirius tightly, desperately. As though he hadn't seen him in years.

He hadn't.

Could the mirror be telling the truth? Maybe he could find Sirius before anyone else and ask him what really happened? Maybe Sirius was innocent, then Remus would help him escape. Remus would help him get far away, and somehow keep him safe. Remus would protect him.

"I miss you all, so much," he admitted.

Lily's hand reached for the glass, and Remus' reached for hers too. He met only glass.

"I need to go, I need to find out the truth," Remus said. "I need to find Sirius."

"Take care of Harry," Lily mouthed.

Remus nodded. "I promise," he replied. With one last look at his mirror image clinging desperately to Sirius Black as though he'd never let go, Remus turned and walked from the room.

**...oOo...**

Remus headed to his office and thought through everything he had seen. After a while, he opened the map.

"I solemnly swear I am upto no good," he said.

His eyes scoured the castle, moving to the grounds where he saw a collision of names.

"Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley," he said, his finger tracing them.

"Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew," he added in disbelief. He stared at the names for a moment before jumping up and running from the room. The right people needed to find Sirius and that was him, and not the Dementors or Ministry. He needed to save Sirius. The mirror was right and Peter was alive, so the ghosts, because they were ghosts and not images, were telling the truth. It was Peter.

He left the map open on the desk, forgetting to clear it. In all the excitement of the evening, he forgot about the approaching full moon.

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><p><strong>Review Please.<strong>

**So this didn't go as planned. It was just supposed to be Remus looking in the mirror and seeing them all and Sirius and leaving again.**

**I didn't plan on adding the ghosts.**

**I think there is a lot more to the mirror. I mean, Dumbledore managed to hide the stone inside it, so there is more to it than to just show what people desire above all else.**

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><p><span><strong>ChallengesCompetitions**

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry** - Magical Objects and their uses: I want you to think of a character, and what they would see in the mirror, and write about it. It is up to you whether you choose to allow the person's desires to come true, or not. You do not HAVE to use the Mirror in your story, but you are welcome to.

**Harry Potter Chapter Challenge** - The Philosopher's Stone: Write about a character's Hearts Desire.

**The Lottery Challenge** - (7) Moon, (14) Fire, (19) Sad, (26) Harry Potter, (46) Magical


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